16 new COVID-19 cases, two new deaths in Brookings Co. Thursday, Oct. 22

973 new COVID-19 cases, 14 new deaths in South Dakota Thursday

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BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 973 new COVID-19 cases and 14 new deaths in South Dakota Thursday.

Sixteen of the new cases and two new deaths are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 1,258 total cases (15 new confirmed and one new probable): 937 of those people have recovered (11 new), with 317 active cases (up by three) and four deaths (two new). A total of 6,040 people (38 new)have tested negative in Brookings County as of Thursday, and 36 people in the county (one new) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There are five COVID-19 occupied hospital beds at the Brookings hospital as of Thursday.

Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category.

The state Department of Health data includes confirmed COVID-19 cases via traditional RT-PCR testing, plus probable cases based on rapid antigen testing, which detects the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Probable cases are investigated and handled in the same way as confirmed cases, DOH officials said.

The number of COVID-19 cases in South Dakota rose to 36,017 (973 new – 948 confirmed plus 25 probable) as of midday Thursday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 9,273 are classified as active (up by 585 from Wednesday). As of Thursday, 26,397 people have recovered (374 new), 2,277 people have been hospitalized at some point (38 new), 355 people are currently hospitalized (up by 23), and 347 people have died (14 new).

The SDDOH website reports 202,429 people (1,223 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.

Current hospitalizations may include out-of-state cases, and total hospitalizations only include South Dakota residents.

The deaths reported on the SDDOH data dashboard are deaths for which COVID-19 is listed as a cause or contributing factor on the certified death record.

The new deaths, 12 women and two men, are being reported in Brookings (2), Davison, Day, Gregory, Lawrence, Lyman, Minnehaha (3), Pennington (2), Tripp and Walworth counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 60-69 years, one 70-79 years and 11 in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Thursday included, but are not limited to, 27 in Beadle County, 22 in Bon Homme, 16 in Brookings, 21 in Brown, 15 in Brule, 29 in Codington, 17 in Davison, 16 in Hughes, 36 in Lawrence, 70 in Lincoln, 21 in Meade, 264 in Minnehaha, 58 in Oglala Lakota, 93 in Pennington, 24 in Todd and 29 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (9,701), Pennington (3,835), Lincoln (2,383), Brown (1,854) and Codington (1,325).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Thursday, 28 students and three faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 133 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Thursday, with 10 of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has five active cases, as of Wednesday: one from Brookings High School, two from Mickelson Middle School, one Medary Elementary and one listed as “Other.”

The state Department of Health generally does not identify the specific communities within a county where cases are located, or a business, event or setting that may be the source of a surge to protect patient confidentiality.

Only a few exceptions are made, such as clusters when there are 40 or more cases identified in a single workplace/setting.

The figures released by the state Department of Health do not include individuals who are asymptomatic or have symptoms of the coronavirus but are not being tested.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

Learn more at www.covid.sd.gov.